Litt says he hopes to have a proposal to the school district by the end of the week to redevelop the building:

"It’s not a fait accompli. It’s physically a very sturdy building – terrazzo floors, plaster walls. Wonderful artwork on the face of the building. So there is much that can be reclaimed, and we have plans for it."

Meanwhile, others are planning a "funeral" for the school on Saturday. Organizers have created a Facebook page that promises "a small service and moment of silence for the former flagship and iconic school of Detroit."

The old Cass Tech High School building closed six years ago when its replacement opened next door.

Click here to listen to Chris McCarus's story on NPR in January about Cass Tech's fate.